Monday, August 28, 2017

Pros and Cons of starting a handmade business

My goal at Handmade Vibe is to provide you with both the pros and cons of starting your own handmade business.

With that said, let’s get all of the negatives out of the way first and then I’ll redeem myself with all of the positives!

You’ll find a lot of sites that’ll convince you that running a handmade business is the easiest biz in the world. I’m here to tell you the exact OPPOSITE.

It’s WORK, WORK and more WORK… Truth be told, it’ll likely be the most challenging thing you’ll ever get involved with. It’ll require your consistent time and dedication. It still requires WORK.

If you’ve spent most of your time working for someone else, this will most definitely surprise you. Don’t get it twisted, my daughter, who has no experience, could potentially make something by hand and sell it, so it’s not an all boys club. In fact, females tend to do better with their start-ups,which is awesome news.

But in order to be successful in this business, you gotta conquer the start-up obstacles many will run into when getting started.

Starting a t-shirt business may require licensing, permits, insurance, finding a wholesale supplier… You’ll require some inventory and supplies on hand, you’ll need a presence on the web, some money for marketing and advertising. A lot of people don’t think they need to market and promote their designs, but it’s an necessary evil if you wish to be successful in the business.

Relying on a number one position on Google’s front page ain’t gonna ensure you success.

You must be willing to work around the clock to build your business…Especially during the start-up phase. If you already work a full-time job, then you’ll need to be willing to stay up late to get things done!

I've eaten mac & cheese and ramen noodles at time, all in an effort to get my handmade business going. I didn’t have anyone to show me the ropes like you do now.

Some of the obstacles you’ll deal with when getting started can be a bit overwhelming at times. Like — how to get your handmade products selling and what not to do… so don’t give up just yet. I just want you to know that there will be some challenges once you get started, but that’s all the ‘bad’ in a nutshell. That’s it…

If you’re a self-motivated person, you can make this work. SELF-MOTIVATED is the keyword here.

When you’re in business by yourself, no one will toss you out of bed each morning.
There’s no one standing over your back telling you when and how to do something.
So you MUST be self-motivated.

Now let’s talk about all of the positives to starting your own handmade business.

Can you make good money selling handmade products?
Absolutely! And how much is good money?
For some of you, $200 per week would be great. For some, $200 per day would be a wonderful day. And for others, an additional $55,000.00 per year would be amazing.

Truth be told, all of the figures mentioned are achievable goals for anyone willing to put in the time, effort and energy required to build a successful handmade business.

Will it be easy?
Absolutely NOT… But it’s doable.

Having your own handmade business allows you to make your own schedule.

You can work 3 days a week or you can work 9 days a week ?

You can take any week off that you want…
Remember, you’re the boss.

You’ve officially become ‘The Man’. And for many people, this can be a dangerous thing, so I must warn you now… If you’re not self-motivated, then don’t even bother getting into the handmade business. You’ll end up with a lot of supplies that’ll sit in your basement or garage collecting dust.

Another positive is that you can start this business with very little money. I use a hot glue gun, fabric flowers, and fold over elastic! Start out with one product that you can master. If you sew, perfect one piece of clothing before adding others. Handmade businesses are beautiful in that you can begin with much less capital that would be required if you went the the multi-level-marketing route. You'll be working for YOU and the satisfaction of creating and selling one of your designs is a wonderful feeling.

I give lots of tips on this in my Opening a handmade/boutique business ebook in my Gypsy Spoonful shop: Goosie Girl

So… Here’s what we have so far:
There’s FREEDOM that comes with owning your own handmade business and it can be financially rewarding for you and your family.

This isn’t one of those things where you have to be lucky to cash in. If you put in the effort and have the determination, you too can succeed in this business.

I’ve easily sold thousands of my handmade creations all over the world. I have customers in countries I can’t even spell or pronounce. I've designed for A list celebrities and their children. And there are plenty of customers who are willing to buy your designs as well.

Let me show you how!

There are many who’ve struggled for months and years trying to build a successful handmade business. But yet, there are others who were able to walk away from their jobs their first year in the business.

Bottom line: although challenging, the handmade business will allow you to create your own job security, while allowing you to write your own check…

I don’t know if starting a handmade business is for you… But I want you to make sure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision before getting started in the business.
I’ve put together a FREE quick-start course that’ll answer most of your questions you may have at the beginning. I also share tips, advice and knowledge I've learned over the years by trial and error. I'll help you begin to brand your fledgling business on a shoestring budget. Save yourself all the hassle, frustration and headaches by using my methods, I did all the leg work for you!

If you want to jump right in and get the full step-by-step handmade business startup course, FIRST, Subscribe